Re: Two Questions..

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: : : : : I hope someone in the know can answer. 1) What is the reimbursement from the state for transportation? I know the Dept. of Ed. does contribute money to districts to help defray the districts' bussing costs. : : : : : 2) Concerning the number of professional saff. How much duplication is there among the four high schools due to state mandiates? As an example, schools must have certified teachers for special needs students. Wouldn't such mandates require additonal staff members in all the schools that could be reduced by combining? : : : : Let's use ASD documents to answer your first question. According to the budget, pupil transportation is 7,250,000. On page 35, the state transportation reimbursement is 4,720,000. This means the state reimburses us 65 per cent of our costs. What is the formula for reimbursement? I really do not know. Maybe someone here can ask a school board member or ask the Administration. Please, let's stick to the facts. : : : There are at least 2 problems with what New Poster asked. : : : 1. This person seems to be implying that if "the state" is paying for it , it is okay to waste these funds. News flash New Poster, "state" tax dollars are still tax dollars and should not be wasted. : : : 2. If "the state" is reimbursing 65% then the district (property taxpayers) must pay for 45%. Right now this 45% equals 2,530,000. If we consolidate this figure will be 45% of a figure much higher than 7,250,000. Whatever the percentage is that the district ends up paying for, it is a ridiculous sum. All you have to do is look back to the last attempt at consolidation. Transportation costs alone were cause for the board to reverse it's decision and deconsolidate. The difference with what they are talkng about now is the added cost of construction and the fact that we would be locked in to that choice, regardless what it ended up costing. : : : BTW if you want to talk about "state" reimbursement, let's talk about the fact that the level of "state" reimbursement is 10% higher for renovations than it is for new construction. : : : Also if there is uneccessary dupliction of staff, then they need to fire some teachers. There are several teachers that teach at multiple schools. They either teach at different schools on different days or they teach half the day at one school and half at the other. Now before you go off and say that it doesn't make sense to have these teachers driving around from school to school...that's still a lot cheaper than bussing the kids from all over the county to a central location. : : I was not here for the previous attempt at consolidation. But my understanding was it was not a real consolidation. It was just a re- distribution of students. : : Were any schools actually closed? So any comparisons between what took place back then or what is happening now are out of the question. It would be as ridiculous as saying that what people voted for a generation ago is still valid today. : : A question for those of you who were here for the first attempt at consolidation. Does anyone have the school district budgets for the year preceding consolidation, the ones of consolidation and the year of deconsolidation? I would love to study these and see what busing costs actually were. : : again, I agree with your point number 2 that busing costs will be higher than what they are now. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. But will they be offset by the reduction in teaching staff and the reduced costs of operating less buildings? We will really not know which way to go in the best interests of everybody here. But all school board members should be forced to answer these questions before they make any decision that affects the taxpayer. : Bobo, we can use the last consolidation as an example. The transportation costs ALONE were enough reason to deconsolidate. The district couldn't afford the transportation cost alone...now they seem to think they can not only handle that, but the cost of building a new school as well. Also, that consolidation did not include Elderton. If the costs were so outrageous without bussing the kids in from as far as Indiana county OR building a new school, imagine what they'll be if they do so. : Consolidation will not result in a reduction of teachers employed in the district. It will never happen. The ASD board will never let it happen. Too many of the board members have close ties with the teachers in the district. : I agree, the board mambers should know ALL the facts BEFORE making a decision, however most do not. Most of them had their minds made up long before phase 1 was even begun.

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